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FROM ALL
Foreign-fuel Restriction Eased
TN a leading article and a news item on January 16th we criticized
•*• the new currency regulation—potentially dangerous in its
effects—which would limit British air tourists to an annual
expenditure of £15 for fuel and oil purchased abroad.
A few days later—in the House of Commons on January 20th—
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Mr. R. A. Butler, gave the
welcome news that it has now been decided to increase the
allowance to £50.
Mr. Butler had been asked by Mr. Charles Ian Orr-Ewing
(Con., Hendon North) to state the annual cost in foreign exchange
of supplying petrol carnets for private flyers, and to explain why
he had cancelled the facility, in view of the serious repercussions
which the cancellation would have on the number of private
aircraft and reserve pilots available in an emergency.
Mr. Butler replied that no accurate information was available.
The facility referred to had not been cancelled. Arrangements
were made to ensure that applications could be seen by the
Exchange Control Authorities so that the rate of expenditure
could, if necessary, be controlled.
He then added that, as a result of inquiries, he had decided to
allow petrol and oil to the annual value of £50 to be supplied
abroad to private flyers. Special facilities would be available for
nights for business purposes.
A very real threat to the future of air touring is thus removed.
As we pointed out at the time, one serious result of the restriction
would have been the introduction of an element of danger by
reason of the fact that the private owner would naturally tend to
keep his foreign fuel-uplift to a minimum, despite—in many
cases—a lack of radio aids that would make a good fuel-margin
all Jhe more desirable.
Big U.S.A.F. Contract for British Firm
AN important contract, stated to be worth over two million - dollars, has been awarded by the U.S.A.F. to a British firm
of specialists in aircraft overhaul—Field Aircraft Services, Ltd.,
of Croydon, one of the companies of the Hunting Group.
The contract is for the overhaul of C-47 Dakotas used in
European operations, and it is the first of its kind to be placed in
Britain by the U.S.A.F. Overhaul of the complete aircraft is to
be carried out by Fields, airframes, engines and instruments being
serviced at Tollerton, Croydon and Bovingdon respectively.
The fact that such a useful dollar contract has been placed in
Britain, in spite of competing tenders from France, Belgium,
Holland, Scandinavia and Italy, is most creditable to Fields.
FLIGHT, 30 January 1953
QUARTERS
Jet Fighter Exports to Middle East
IN the House of Lords on January 20th, Lord Strabolgi put questions concerning the supply of "modern jet-engined
military aircraft" to the countries in the Middle East. He asked
what the policy was, how many such aeroplanes had been supplied
during the last six months, and to which countries, and how many
it was agreed to supply in the near future, and to which countries.
The Marquess of Reading (Joint Parliamentary Under-Secretary
for Foreign Affairs) replied that, as the result of the changes in
the defence programme announced by the Prime Minister last
July, it had become possible to resume the jet-aircraft export
which had been suspended after the outbreak of war in Korea,
and thus to meet the requests of foreign governments—including
those of the Middle East—some of whom placed orders and
made payments on account as long ago as 1950.
H.M. Government had, of course, to satisfy themselves that
there were no strong political objections. Their policy in such
matters was based on a joint statement by the Governments of
the United Kingdom, United States, and France on May 25th,
1950. This recognized the need of the Arab States and Israel to
maintain a certain level of armed forces for internal security and
legitimate self-defence and for the purpose of enabling them to
play their part in defence of the area as a whole.
The aircraft in question were jet fighters and, as such, essentially
a defensive weapon, and the Government did not consider their
action in authorizing the supply of these aircraft was in any way
inconsistent with their responsibilities under the joint statement.
The undertaking given in that statement to prevent violation
of frontiers or armistice fines remained in full force and effect.
It was not the practice of the Government to disclose publicly
all details of defence equipment supplied to foreign governments,
but an assurance could be given that the number of aircraft
already exported, and authorized for export in the near future,
was small.
Lord Strabolgi asked if Egypt was not one of the states receiving
the aircraft. Was it not true that our own forces in Egypt were
in threat of violence at the present time ? What was the sense of
supplying modern aircraft to Egypt ?
Lord Reading replied that that raised a considerable question
not easily answered by supplementary question and answer.
Certainly Egypt was one of the countries involved.
The Flying Schools : Commons Protests
MEMBERS on both sides of the House of Commons joined forces on January 21st to protest against the Government
decision to close down certain civilian and R.A.F.V.R. flying
schools.
When a spirited exchange of questions with Mr. George Ward,
Under-Secretary for Air, had established that there was no dis
position on the Government's part to modify the decision,
a Conservative Member gave notice that he would raise the matter
on an adjournment motion.
The account which follows would be incomplete if it did not
mention that Mr. Ward's demeanour at the dispatch-box was
markedly uneasy.
A. Cdre. A. V. Harvey (Con., Macclesfield) and Mr. W. R. D. Perkins (Con., Stroud and Thornbury) asked what alternative employment was
contemplated for the instructors concerned, and what compensation would be paid to those who were being displaced without being offered
alternative employment. Mr. Ward replied that about 150 inquiries had so far been received
for re-entry into the R.A.F. following publication of a wide variety of engagements—ranging from four to eight years' regular service—and
interviewing would start on January 26th. Contracts with the civil firms in no case exceeded three years and contained a break clause which pro
vided that they could be terminated at three months' notice; in these circumstances the Air Council could not admit any claim to compensa
tion by employees.
A. Cdre. Harvey complained that many of the instructors were aged between 40 and 50 years and had given something like 20 years to the
country. Was not the Air Ministry getting out of this matter in a very shabby manner? Mr. Ward rejected the word "shabby" and said
everything possible had been done to help those who wanted to come back to the Air Force; many of those who did not would find employ
ment as pilots with civil airlines.
Mr. Perkins asked whether or not Mr. Ward had received an
PROTOTYPE AND PRODUCTION: A recent visitor to London was Mr. Ron
Williams, immediate assistant to Mr. Crawford Gordon, Jnr., president
of A. V. Roe (Canada), Ltd. From Mr. Williams' briefcase come these
views of (above) the rocket-armed CF-100 Mk 4 prototype, lately demon
strated as supersonic by ex-Gloster test pilot Jan Zurakowski, and of
CF-100 Mk 3 production for the Royal Canadian Air Force. An Avro
Canada Orenda turbojet is seen in process of installation.